System of propulsion.



l is going' ip 7 UNITED ysTATns PATENT orifice.

JOHN T. LISTER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE TURBINEIMOTOR ELECTRIC CAR COMPANY, A COR-FCRA'JLIQIQ OF OHIQ.

sYsTEMoF rRorULsioN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 191i.4 n

Application filed November 7, 1910. Serial No. 590,983.

To all fui/ioni it may concern Be it known that I, Jol-1N T. Lis'rnii, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the' county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Systems of Propulsion,'of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

4This invention relates to systems of propulsion for electric vehicles and has for its main object the provision of a system of' propulsion including a motor and two sets of storage batteries which'. are under normal conditions adapted to be connected alternately to the motor and to a charging device, together with means whereby under abnormal conditions, such as `when the vehicle a grade orA is passing along a heavy roa more power can be supplied to' the motor than savailable Iin either set of batteries. v

More particularly, the invention aims to providea system of propulsion including a driving motor, two sc ts of batteries, an engine-driven generator, switching devices, preferably automatically operated, for alternatelyconnecting one set of batteries to the motor for driving purposes and the other to -the generator for charging purposes, and a controller Lwhich serves as a master switch and which when in one operative position connects in the switching devices which automatically controlthe connections oit' the vbatteries to the motor and generator 1e spectively, and when turned, beyond the first step toother operative positions disconnects the automatic switching devices and 'connects either 'of the sets ot' batteries to the inotor-independently of the other'set or of the generator, or connects both batteries and the generator .in parallel to the moto-i', so that all the available power' of the vehicle is at. once utilized for propulsion purposes.

These and other objects are accomplished by my 'invention which may he lnie'fly summarized as consisting in certain novel coinhiuaiions and arrangements ot' parts which will be dcscribed'in the specification and set forth in the appendedclaims.

The single. figure of the drawing shows liagrammatically a system embodying the preferred form of my invention.

Referring' now to the drawing, l() repre- Sents a direct current driving motor which may be geared to the vehicle in the usual internal manner. The motor l0 is normally supplied with current from one o-two sets of storageha tteries 1l and l2 which under normal conditions are adapted to be connected alternately to the motor and to a' small enerator 13 which is preferablyl driven y an combustion engine 14.

For the purpose of connecting the battery set singly to the motor an to the generator or for manually. connecting either set ot' batteries to the motor, or all the batteries and the generator in parallel to the motor, and for the purpose of automatically controlling the connections-of the batteries to the motor and generator respectively, I employ a controller i two main switches, one a double throw automatic switch B,and the other a double throw switch C which, in this case is mechanically connected to the switch B, and is operatedv by the latter. The controller has in this instance four operative positions indicated by the dotted lines a, o, c and d, andl is provided with eight contactfingers designated respectively A1 to A5, and with contact segments designated A to A15. The segment A" engages and bridges the contact fingers A1 to A2 and the segment A10 bridges the contact fingers AT andA8 when the controller is in its first operative posit-ion ci; the segment A engages the contact finger A4 when the controller is in the positions c and cl; the segment A13 engages the, contact finger A5 when the controller is in the positions o and (l, and the segments A and A15 engage the Contact fingers A5 and A5 respectively when the controller is in position (l. .Furthermore, the segments A11 to A15 are so connected that when the controller is in position o contact fingers A3 and A4 are bridged; when the controller is in position c. Contact fingers A* and A5 are. bridged; and when the controller it in the position d, contact. fingers A3 to A5 are bridged or electrically connected.

The automatic double throw switch B which is designed to automatically connect and (lisci-.ut-tt the. battery sels 11 and 12 and the motor, includes a core or plunger B1 carrying two bridging Contact members B5 and B3, the former of which isflesigned to engage and bridge two stationary contacts B4 and B5, when the switch is thrown to one position, and 'the latter of which? is' designed t0 engage and uiflge two stationary conlOVi tacts B and BT when the switch is thrown to the opposite position. The switch is adapted to be thrown to the right or to the .left by two solenoid coils B8 and R9, 'the former of which is' adapted to be connected across the terminals of battery sct- 11, and the latter of which is adapted to be connected across the terminals of battery set 12. lhe energization and deenergization ot n; these two coils is controlled primarily by the controller and, also by two relay sw` ches l) and' li), the former having contacts in the circuit olr the coil BS and the latter having contacts in the circuit of the coil B9. As shown in the drawings, one terminal of the coil BS is connected directly to the negative side of battery set 11, and the other terminal is connected by a conductor 13 to one ter1ninal or contact D] of the relay switch D, the

other terminal or contact. D2 of which` is y connected by a conductor lli to the contact linger A l oi controller Contact linger A2 of the controller is connected by a conductor 15 to the positive side of battery set l1. ln a similar manner one terminal of solenoid coil Bf" is connected directly to the negative side of battery set 12 and the other terminal of the coil is connected by conductor 16 to one terminal El ot relay switch E, the other terminal t which is connected by conductor 17 to contact finger AS ot the controllern Controller contact linger A7 is connected by a conductor 18 to the positive side of battery set 12.

The contacts D1 and D2 of relay switch D and the contacts El and E2 of relay switch E are adapted to be bridged respectively b-y bridging contacts D3 and E3 carried by plungers Dt and adapted to be actuated by small voltage coils D and E, the former being' connected across the terminals of battery set 11, and the latter being connected across the terminals 'of battery set 12. These relay switches are so designed and adj usted o that when the controller is in position-rz and when the voltage of either battery set drops lo a predetermined value, the core and bridging contact of the corresponding relay switch drops so as to bridge the corresponding terminals and t'l'iereby energize one ot' the main coils B8 or TB, and at the Sametime the opposite relay switch is raised or opened so as to denergize the other main coil.

it will be noted that the positive terminals ot both sets of batteries are connected by conductors 19 and 19" respectively to the positive side of motor 10 and the negativo Vside oit mot-oi' 10 i`s connected by suitable conductors which may be designated as a whole by the reference character 2O to two stationary contacts t and BG olf the automatic double throw switch li. Also the con lacts B and lll are connected by conductorsI 2l and QQ respectively to the negative sidesI I of battery set 11 and battery set.

Double throw switch C includes two sets of stationary contacts C1, C2, C3 and C4, and

other, and designated C5 and CG respectively, these blades being adapted to be thrown by a. switch lever C7 which is mechanically connected to the plunger B1 of switch B so that the blades will engage when in one :position two stationary contacts Cl and C2, and when in another position contacts C3 and Ct. When both solenoids B8 and B? are deenergizcd, (such as when the controller A is switch C are thrown to oil or neutral position with the bridging;` contacts or blades out of engagcn'ient with all the stationary contacts, the two switches being thrown to n'cutral position by a pair ot centralizing springs 23 and 28. Stationary contacts C1 and C2 of switch C are connected respecs tively by conductors Q4 and :25 to the negative and positive sidesot' the battery setll, and the stationary-contacts Cl' and. C4 are 4connected respectively by conductors 26 and '27 to the negative and positive sides of battery set 12. Furthermore, the switch blades C5 and CG are connected respectively by conductors 28 and 29 to the positive and negative sides and terminals of the generator 13.

The result of the construction and arrangement so far described is that when the controller is in ot or neutral position. as shown in the drawing, both. solenoid coils cit the switch B are denergized or on open circuitv` regardless of the positions of the relay switches D and E. Consequently, both switches B and C are in oli position, and the batteries are both disconnected from i the motor 10 and generator 13. When, however, the `controller is moved to position o. or to the irst operative position, controller segments A9 and A10 respectively bridge contact lingers and A2 and cont-act lingers A7 and A8. rlhe circuits of the solenoid coils BS and B9 may now be completed. by the rclay switches D and Assuming that the voltage of battery set 11 is slightly below a predetermined value` relay switch D is closed and the bridging,` contact .ot this switch closes the circuit through the solenoid coil BS, which being thus energized` throws switch B tothe left, as viewed in the draw ing. bridging the stationary Contact lln and ll'- and 'connecting` battery sci'. l2 to the niotor. vWhen the sivitch ll is in. the position stated. the positive side olf battery set .19 is connected by conductor 119 to 'the positive sido of the motor, and the negative side. oit the motor connected by conductor Q0,

l l l L l l l l i andconductor 26 to the negatives-,ido ot the l battery. The battery set 1Q tlierclmfc drives the motor and is beine; discharged. At the same time that switch li is thrown to the position referred to, switch C is actuated so two movable blades insulated -ifroin cachv in oil position) both the switch B and the.

switch contacts il, B and lll, conductor 2i? il as to connect the generator 13 to battery set il so that this battery set will now be charged. The positive side of the generzntorv versed, or when the plunger of switch D is raised, ,andthe plunger ot switch ll lowered, the 'positions of the tiro switches B and C are reversed and battery set ll is connected to the motor so as to drive the same., and haiteryeet-Q is connected to the nerator.

CC avoid having the ttery which is snpplying cnf nt to the motor, beine; disconnected the iom by die opposite relay switch opening prematurely and before the yfitage of the battery set ai `'eh'is connected to the motor drops to the predetermined value sntiicient to canse the closure of its relay switch, have provided means whereby when a relay switch is closed by 'the drop in voltage of the correspond," g battery set? said switch will be retained in closed position, until the other set of batteries which connected to the motor is discharged to point such that its yoltagereaches the lor limit Which .determines the closure of the lay switch corresponding thereto. Each of the relay switches D and E is in this case dcsigned to be yengaged and heldin closed posi-- tion until the other relay switch is closed by means of a spring pressed latch which is adapted to be Withdrawn from engagement with the relay switch by a coil 3l which is y switch by a bridgingcontact member 234 on the motor, and the other to the the lower end thereof. With this arrangement when one battery set is connected to generator, the relay switch corresponding to the battory .set connect-edito the generator will be in closed position. as shown at the'left hand side of theA drawing, and the relay switch corresponding to the battery set connected to the motor will be opened or raised, as shownat the right hand side of the drawing. The elosedrelay switch will therefore remain closed until the voltage of the dis charging battery set reaches a value such that its'relay switch will be closed, 'where iipon the latch retaining the previously closed relay switch in closed position is Wit-hdrawn, permitting that relay switch to open,

the en'ergization .of the small coil contrtdling the/latter`v being. now Sufficient to open' the same. This, or" course, causes the battery which was previously connected to the motor to be connected to the generator, and the battery lwhich was previously connected 'to the generator to be connected to the motor.

The coils D5 and E5 controlling the relay switches l) and E may be quite small so that there is little current passing through the same and these relay switches will be so adjusted that each Will be closed on a yery srall drop in volt-age of the corresponding battery set. In other Words, the range of voltage diilerenee between the battery dischai and the battery being charged will be Ismall. The purpose will appear pres- "finis, with the controller in the posit-ion a, it is seen that the battery set-s are automatically connected to the motor and to tl generator respectively, and Whenonebat- .y is discharged to a predetermined point, it is connected to the generator to be again charged. liioweyer, in case the automatic mechanism should for any reason get ont ot order, or it, for any cause, itis desired not to utilize tl same, I have provided means in the controller whereby either battery set may he employed for driving the motor independently of the generator and of the automatic Vconnecting and disconnecting mechanism. This is accomplished as follows: rhc negative side or terminal of .L 1 y.

lne motor i() 1s connected by a conductor to contactfinger A4 which, as before stated, is engaged by contact segment A when the control-ler is in position Z), c and d. Also contact linger A3 Which is engaged by segzrent A?? when the controlleris in position o and by segment A when the controller is in position a?, is connected by conductor 3G to the negative side of battery set ll. Also contact linger A5 Which is engaged by segment A1 Ween the controller is in position c and position (Z is connected by conductor 37 to the negative side of battery lset 1.2. rlherefore, it Will be seen that when the controller is moved from posit-inn a to position Z), coils BS and B9 of switch D are deinergized by haring their circults broken at the controller, regardless of Whether or not the relay switches D and E 'are closed, and at the same time, battery set 1l is connected indcpendentlyof the switch. B to the motor l0. In a similar manner when the controller is moved to position c, battery set ll is disconnected from the' motor'and battery set 12 is connected lthereto. seen also that when the cont-roller :is turned to position d, inasmuch as contact fingers A5 and At and A5 are engaged by segments U, and A15, `both sets of batteries will he connected in parallel to a motor 10, thus supp "inguto the .motor more power than is available in either setof batteries: I prefer, however, when the two batteries arc connectedin parallel to the motor, that the gener- It will be Cit ator be connected also to the motor so as to supply the greatest possiblepower thereto. I? or this purpose, the positive side ot gener-- ator 13 is connected by conductors 88 leading directly to the positive side of the motor,

this connection being independent ot the switch (l. Also the negative side oit the generator' is connected by conductor 3) to contact linger fil ot the controller, which is engaged bysegment fr when the controller is' in position d. Therefore, inasmuch as the segments A13, A and A15 are electrically connected to segment it, both sets oit batler-ies and the generator' are connected in parallel to the motor, when the controller is in position (Z or in the'last operative position.

As before stated, the relay switches I) and lil are so adjusted as to be sensitive to slight changes in voltage, with the result that the voltage ot one set of batteries is never materially greater or materially less than the maximum voltage` ot the other set. Furthermore, the voltage of the genen ator .is made such that it is substantially the same as t-he voltage ot the two battery sets. Consequently, both battery sets and the generator can be connected :in parallel to the motor without any danger of one feeding current to another. Even it it is desired that the voltage ot' the generator for charging purposes b',e slightly above the maximum desired voltage of the batteries, the resistance ot' the connections ott the generator to the controller may besuch that the eilective voltage ot the generatorv at the controller will be substantially that ot the batteries. i

Having thus described `my invention, what I claim is l. In a battery system, a translating` device, two sets of storage batteries for snpplying the current to the translating device,

a generator `or charging the batteries, and switching devices tor connecting the batteries separately and alternately to the translatingl device and to the generator respectively, and for connecting both batteries in parallel to the-translating device.

2.l In a battery system, a translating device, two sets of batteries :lor supplying current to the translating device, a generator for charging the batteries, switching mechanism for automatically connecting the batteries separately and `alternately to the translating device and generator respectively so that one will supply current to the translating' device while the other is being charged, and switching mechanism for connecting the batteries in parallel to the translating device.

`3. In a battery system, two sets oifbattei-ies, a translating device, a generator, automatic devices lor connecting the 'translating device and generator segaratcly and alternately to the two batteries so that while one is driving the motor the other is being charged, and a controller for connecting the batteries and the generator in parallel to the translating device.

'/l. In a battery sistem, two sets of s;orage batteries, a translating device, a.A generator, switching means 'tor connecting the batteries alternately to the ranslating device and to the generat r, auttmiatic mechanism controlling the same, and a controller tor rendering inoperative the automatic mechanism and :tor connecting` either set of batteries to the translating device independently of the other set.

In a battery system, a. translating de.

vice, two sets ol storage batteries for sup plying current to the translatinoq device, a generator for charging the batteries, switclr ing means tor connecting the batteries alternately to the translating device and to the generator, automatic mechanism controlling the same, and a manually operable controller :lor rendering inoperative the automatic mechanism and for connecting the batteries in parallel. to the translating dcvice.

'3. In a battery system, two sets of storage batteries, a translating device, a generator, switching means for connecting the batteries alternately to the translating device and to the generator, automatic mechanism control- .ling the same, and a controller for rendering inoperative the automatic mechanism and ilor connecting` the batteries and generator in parallel to the translating device.

T. In a battery system, two sets of storage batteries, a translating device, a generator, -switohing mechanism for connecting the battei-ics alternately to the translating device and to the generator so that while one is supplying current to the translating device the other is being charged by the generatorTautomatic devices operative upon voltage changes in the batteries for controlling the operation of the switching mechanism and therefore of the connections of the batteries to the translating device and the generator, and a manually operable Vcontrollerl for rendering operative `or inoperative the auto4 matic vdevices and, for connecting either set of batteries to the translating device inde pendently of the otherset.

S. In a battery system, two sets oi storage batteries, a tanslating device, a. generator, switching mechanism for connecting the batteries alternately to the translatingdevice and to the generator so that while one is supplying current to the translating device the other is being charged by the generatbr, automatic devices operative upon l voltage changes in the batteries for controlling the operation ot the switching mechanism, and a manually operable controller for renden ing operative oi' inoperative the automatic devices and for connecting the batteries in parallel to the translatingdevice.

In a battery system, two sets ,of storage batteries, .ft-translating device, a generator, switching mechanism for connecting the batteries alternately to the translating device andto the generator so that while one is supplying current to the transl; vice the other is being charged by the geiierator, automatic devices operative upon voltage changes in the batteries for controlling the operation df the switching mecha nism, and a manually operable controller for rendering operative or inoperative the automatic devices, and for connecting both sets of batteries and generator in parallel to thel translating device.

10. In a battery system, two sets of storage batteries, a translating device, a genera tor, switching mechanism for connecting the batteriesalternately to the translating device and to the generator so that. while oneis supplying current to the translating device the other is being` charged by the generator, automatic devices operative upon voltage changes in the batteries for cont-rolling the operation of the switching n'iechanisin, and

manually operable controller for rendering operative or inopeial'ive the automatic devices, for connecting either set of batteries to the translating device indcpend ently et' the other set and of said switching' mechanism, and for connecting both sets ot batteries and generator in parallel to the translating' device.

11. In a battery system, a translating device, t-wo sets of batteries for supplying curr rentto the translating device, a generator for charging the batteries, automatic switching mechanism l'or connecting the batteries separately and alternately to the translating deiii'e and to the gei'ierator.y and manually operable switching mechanism for connectingea i et ot' batteries to the translating device nitlepein'leiitly ot the other set, or for connectii'ig both set* in, parallel to the translating dei'ice.

an, a translating device.y tn o se et batt .es for supplying enrrent to the translating device,v and a controller which when in oneposition connects one set olf batteries tu the translating device independently n'l the other set, when in another position connects tlie second set of batteries to the translating device independently et the iii-st set, and when in another position connects both sets of batteries in parallel to the translating device.

lfd.

plying current alternately and separately to the translating device, a generator for charg ,ing the batteries, and amanually operable 1 controller which when in one position con- In a battery systei'n, a translatinghde-n vice, two sets of batteries tor normally stig 

